Police sealed off the home in Sheffield. Photo: Rahmah Ghazali / Reach PLC

Police found the child on Sunday morning at a property in Holywell Heights in the north of the city after receiving reports of a concern for the safety of a newborn baby. Despite the best efforts of officers and paramedics, the baby was pronounced dead at the scene.

A forensic post-mortem carried out on Monday determined that the baby died as a result of stab wounds.

Andrea Skopova, 20, of Robey Street, Sheffield, Peter Horvath Jnr, 19, Peter Horvath Snr, 38, and Nina Horvathova, 37, all of Holywell Heights, have now been charged with murder, causing or allowing the death of a child, and perverting the course of justice by taking steps to conceal the killing of an infant.

A 15-year-old girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons due to her age, has been charged with perverting the course of justice.

The defendants are remanded in custody and will appear at Sheffield Magistrates' Court today (Wednesday).

Lauren Costello, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor at CPS Yorkshire and Humberside, said: "The Crown Prosecution Service has decided to prosecute four individuals with murder following a police investigation into the death of a newborn baby girl in the Wincobank area. A fifth individual has been charged with perverting the course of justice.

"Our prosecutors have worked to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring the case to court and that it is in the public interest to pursue criminal proceedings.

"We have worked carefully with South Yorkshire Police as they carried out their investigation. We remind all concerned that proceedings against the defendants are active and they have the right to a fair trial."